


The Pirate Bay

by Jenny001



Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:40:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenny001/pseuds/Jenny001
Summary: When a strange ship docks at a pier in her hometown, Guinevere knows her monster of a brother is back and it's just a matter of time before he comes visit. It's a moment she's been dreading for years but she always knew it was inevitable. She's finally ready to take her revenge for everything he's done to her. In order to do that, she must act fast, using the element of surprise. The only way to locate the notorious pirate is to strike a deal with someone just as disreputable and have them disclose information of his whereabouts. Disguised as a man, she visits a small tavern by the sea, the vital centre of trade and information for maritime community and a well known pirate nest where all kinds of transactions take place. Unfortunately, she manages to cross paths with just the wrong guy – Stephen Bonnet himself, a smuggler, pirate and altogether villainous character.
Relationships: Stephen Bonnet / OC
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue

The street was completely deserted. Only the moon and stars in the sky shone, illuminating the path for pilgrims, outcasts and people of the night.

I crawled into deeper darkness, backing myself up against a wall. I scarcely dared breathe, feeling cold sweat running down my back. My hair stuck to my forehead. I pulled my hat to hide my face better. Any minute now I had to get out of here, jump upon my horse and ride away. But I couldn't let him find me. I felt his anger all across the room when I left, he wasn't one to toy with and I angered him for real.

Trapped in a narrow alleyway, I was trying to make myself invisible, counting seconds, awaiting my opportunity to escape. I heard footsteps pacing back and forth down the street. He was getting close. I was running out of time. Now or never.

I ran. And just as I was getting to the end of the street, thinking I might make it after all, a strong hand grabbed me.

"Leaving so soon?" a cold voice hissed in my ear, roughly turning me back.

His eyes were shinning in the dark like two pale gemstones. I felt something cold pressed against my neck and realized he had a knife.  
And just like that I knew I was done.


	2. Chapter 2

The tavern by the sea was barely lit. A small, yet well known place – at least in certain circles. I had only one reason to come down here and it wasn't for business, a lady of good standing would never aproach sailors, workingmen and pirates in their lair for money. No, I was driven by a very different urge – to seek information only lowly sort of people could provide. And _his_ people used to come to this godforsaken place – or so I heard from the villagers.

My fear was still there, just under the surface, like a constant companion, never leaving my side, but I couldn't afford to succumb to it. I had made that mistake way too many times before and it had cost me dearly.

I held my breath for a moment but there was no space for hesitation. I had decided long ago. I pushed the door open and crossed the threshold. Just a few people turned my way, not really paying attention. I‘d thought about this a lot, about the way I should behave and tried to be as incospicous as could be, dressed in man's clothing. A weird sort of woman for sure, but here it didn't really matter. At least I didn't look like a person of high social standing. If that were the case, people might start wondering and ask uncomfortable questions I wasn't willing to answer. They also might try to rob me or take advantage of me in other ways.

This wasn't really my first time here. I stopped by a few nights ago. Right after I heard about a strange-looking ship suddenly appearing in a bay. I didn’t get a chance to see it myself, but some people claimed it was anchored in a cove nearby. Not such an unusual sight in these waters but the way they desribed it – the flag, flipping in the wind, marked with a red sign – gave me chills. There was only one such ship I could think of and it didn't belong to a friend. If there was anyone who might know something, they would be here.

My first night didn't prove successful and I couldn't ask too much, but I wasn‘t giving up just yet. I didn't know how much time I had, before my past would come back to haunt me. I knew it would happen eventually.

I placed my order, asking for a pint of ale and a little something to eat, merely to have something to occupy my mind with. Then I just sat there, soundlessly watching other tavern’s guests. Most of them seemed normal enough. Ordinary workers and sailors looking for lodgings, food and some company.

Nothing even remotely interesting happened. What was I even thinking? Why did I expect any of his people to turn up here of all places? Of course it couldn’t be this easy. Or had I forgotten what kind of a person he was? I knew my half brother well. I knew what he had become, but I was also painfuly aware that he enjoyed taunting me more than anything else. Perhaps I could predict his steps, but he could predict mine just as well.

 _"Don’t forget I taught you everything you know, little sis. Everything, "_ even now I could hear his voice, whispering in my ear – just the very thought made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I sipped my drink, looking through the crowd, waiting for an opportunity to present itself, listening in. Surely someone would mention something – if he, by any chance, happened to be here recently, someone would remember him. He was a large man, dark haired, with a dark complexion and coal-black eyes, filled with the glow of hell itself. He possessed dangerous charisma **.** I suppose an unsuspecting lass may even find him appealing. But I knew better. On his good days he could be mesmerizing, but once he had a bad one and decided you were the one thing standing in his way, well, let’s just say you’d better be far, far away.

Unfortunately, the only thing standing between him and his goal, was I. His greatest weakness, the object of his hate, the cause of his frustration – the very person he wished to rip apart, torture and humiliate, yet couldn’t bring himself to kill **.** As the only heiress of a very extensive property, I quickly became his worst enemy. He thought himself entitled to our father’s wealth since we were kids – he was my elder brother, a man, after all. But in the end, as an illegitimate child, born out of weddlock, he was denied such rights. Our father agreed to fund his education, to help him in life in any way he could, but the sugar estates, the ultimate source of his fortune, along with the Godwell Mansion, should belong to me. I was the one who stood by him after closing an important business deal, I helped him with all the work, and it didn’t take him long to realize we were a lot alike and thought the same way.

Perhaps I reminded him of my mother, whom he missed every day ever since she passed, and that’s why he favoured me more, or he just liked how invested I could get when it came to important affairs. My older brother had always been a touch distant, and full of distain, and the younger one had never been really interested in any sort of business – he had chosen quite early on to become a priest. The only person our father trusted with his affairs, was his beloved daughter – according to him, only she would follow his legacy and respect his wishes. He expected me to find a trustworhy and capable husband who could handle the business and take a good care of all his possessions. So far, I haven’t felt the slightest desire to get married, and I wasn’t going to be bullied into submission by my cruel brother, either.

Back then, my father didn’t know what he was truly capable of, but he must have known something and unconsciously didn't want him to be in a position of power. After making me his only heir, things took turn for the worse…

 _"She was a witch, your bloody mother. Just like you."_ I could feel his hot breath on my face. His closeness was suffocating me. _"And one day you will burn. I’ll make you bleed…“_

He promised me that and more. It was no idle threat. I had to find him and finish him off, put him out of his misery before he could make my life a living hell once more. It occured to me it would be no easy task, but I had years to prepare.

I took another bite of my brief evening meal, roast potatoes with salt, shaking the bad memory away.

Some maritime workers in rugged clothes, sitting in a corner, were being really noisy and later on a group of men arrived.

The tavern keeper stopped midmotion, her anxiety palpable. She knew these men, or at least knew who they were. I felt cold in my bones, preparing for a possible flight. But I didn't feel like leaving yet. I didn't get what I came for. Could these men belong to my brother’s crew? Or where they someone else entirely?

I watched them, silently appraising. There were five of them, they sat down together around the long oak table in the centre of the room, preparing for something. All of them armed. These were no sailors. The chill in my limbs got stronger. Then one of them pulled out a deck of cards, spreading them in front of him. The rest just laughed, prepared to bet their last bit of money in a card game **.**

The keeper brought them a pint of ale without being asked and before she could leave, the bald man slapped her across her bottom. She yelped and hurried away.

"Wish me luck!" he yelled after her, laughing out loud.

I rolled my eyes, getting impatient. This was leading nowhere. Perhaps change of plan would be a reasonable solution. I watched them play from afar, finishing my ale and then, when I was finally about to leave, a large man, sitting just across from me, took a locket out of his pocket. And just like that I couldn't breathe. Because I knew the locket.

It used to belong to my mother, though how it came to be in his possession I couldn't even begin to imagine. I hadn‘t seen it for years and believed it to be long lost – the only way I could think of that would explain its sudden reappearance, was quite simple and had everything to do with the reason I came here today.

The man, holding my mother's locket, looked younger than the others, his light brown hair was interwoven with blond locks and tied back at the nape of his neck. His skin was dark from spending too much time out in the sun and coated with dirt. I could tell he was tall, even though he was sitting. He had long legs and long fingers of an experienced thief. His features were angular, almost pleasant. He had a strange charm about him and radiated something primal. Everything about him said he wasn't a person to cross.

He must have felt my stare somehow, because he turned and looked straight at me. His gaze locked with my own. He smiled, his lips curving. A dangerous almost predatory smile, callculating. He eyed me up an down, and then, very slowly, motioned for me to go to him.

I didn't hesitate. This was my chance to learn what I needed to know. I knew he was dangerous, that much was clear, but an innner urge pushed me forward anyway. I'd waited way too long to back out now. He _couldn't possibly_ be any _worse_ than the monster I was after. While my behaviour may have been unsusual, it was necessary.

If I had any doubt before, now it was gone – it truly was my mother's silver locket. The one and only. My father had it made for her. I couldn’t see it now, but I knew it contained a miniature portrait of him. And the intricate engraving on it, was clearly visible – my mother’s monogram.

As I got closer to him, his smile widdened but didn't reach his eyes. Their colour was unfathomable – greenish, yellow, a bit of gold. The cougar’s eyes, challenging me, judging me, and mocking me too. A ferocious beast, preparing to chase and attack a lesser creature.

"I'm in need of a good luck charm, will ye change my luck tonight, darlin'?" he ogled my body, hidden in man's clothing, and raised his eyebrows. "Though why a lass as fine as ye should dress like a sailor is beyond me." Heat flooded my cheeks. He had a strange lilt to his voice – Irish perhaps. The other men laughed, watching me curiously.

"That's quite a tempting offer, sir, but I've always liked to be my very own good luck charm," I explained confidently, not willing to show any weakness. "But perhaps you could help me?"

I’d met men like him before. Though he was handsome, I would never let him break my composure.

"Ahh, you’ve come to made my evenin', have ye, sweetheart? " he grabbed at me, wanting to pull me onto his lap but I was faster.

"Not in that way, no, sir. You're fairly mistaken. Bud I’d like to ask you something."

"You're a bold lass, are ye? I like them bold. Come here, will ye?" he motioned for me to come even closer. I didn't, never taking my eyes off him.

"Where did you get this? " I asked straight away.

"This little token?" he exchanged a quick glance with his crew. "Can't remember really. Must be a love token, sweetheart. "

"I believe you took it off a man, " I told him. "Is he alive? "

"Oh, is that so? A lost lover then? No, I don't think so. Ye must be mistaken," he was laughing at me. "Come here, I know a few ways to ease yer sore heart."

"Well, perhaps you will reveal the actual story when I win this game," I said and his smile turned bold.

"Not sure that's a game for ye, darlin'. Would be better if ye just blew on this gem to bring me some luck. I've got a good feeling 'bout tonight," he revealed his teeth in another smile – surprisingly even for someone like him  
– and held a large gemstone, vividly blue like the sea itself, in front of my face.

"Where’s your courage? Are you afraid I’ll take all your money?" I teased.

A dangerous glint in his eyes told me I've gone too far. He nodded, seemingly careless. Yet his posture seemed to say something else entirely. _Careful there, sweetheart_.

"You‘ve got money you’re eager to part with, do ye?" he grinned.

I showed him my ring – golden, decorated with a red ruby. Valuable but to me of no more value than dirt under my feet. Beating my brother at his own game was far more important.

"Suit yourself then, " he nodded to a chair in front of him.

I sat down, heart beating fast. So it began. Luckily for me, I knew several card games, and knew them well, otherwise I'd never have come up with such a risky plan.

"I‘ll tell ye what, woman, if you've got such a knack for haggling… I'm not ready to part with this little thing quite yet. Sentimental value and all that. If ye win I'll give ye something even more prescious, than your worthless token. This sapphire, ye see. But should you lose, ye will accompany me upstairs." In reaction to that all the men howled with laughter.

I bit my lip. The thing was, I couldn't show too much interest in some token, that would put me at a great disadvantage. He‘d know for sure it meant something to me. No, I had to accept – my main goal was getting information. And I couldn't afford to lose.

"All right, I accept," I agreed and those few words sealed my fate.

"Hope you're not a sore loser, luv, " he grinned and started handing out cards. Each of us was dealt twelve of them. Fortunately, I was well aquinted with the game. Ruff and Honors wasn't unknown to me and that realization brought me some relief. We played together hand by hand, and the more successful I was, the more nervous my opponents got. The luck was on my side tonight.

The last card determining trump was dealt and I knew I won the second his eyes lit in desbelief.

It was my turn to smile. "I’d like to hear the story of this locket now, seems like a story worth hearing.“

He just shrugged, not a care in the world.

"Not much of a story. In a brothel, that's where I got it… a whore left it there, some customer gave to it her, " he revealed. That meant my darling brother was there – so close, yet so far away… but when?

"When was this?"

"Two nights ago."

"All right."

"Another round, lass? Not ready to give up on my luck just yet." He winked at me.

"I believe it's best to stop before your luck has run out," I explained, standing up and picking the sapphire on the way. I didn't really need or want it, but how weird it would be if I were satisfied with a mere answer to a question?

"Thank you for a pleasant evening, " I was bidding them farewell when a strong hand grabbed my wrist – it was the bald man. A large drooling beast of a human being.

"Not so fast, beauty. I haven't had my fill of ye yet."

The only way to get out of this was by doing something violent. I picked up a knife from the table and slammed it down. The blade drove deep into the table, pinning his right wrist to the wood **.** The bald man screamed in outrage and let go of me.

I ran, feeling a cold stare sending shivers up and down my back all the way out and I knew he'd be after me soon – the other man whose sapphire I now had. My first conscious thought was to get out, hide and then get to Drakas, my horse. I could feel just how mad the man was, yet strangely excited, too – it was in the air, in his every pore. He would enjoy punishing me.

And that's how, in a matter of minutes, despite my best effort to run away, I happened to be pressed against a wall, with an angry and wicked being who sought revenge for being bested by a woman. What a fortune that I just happened to run across a killer and raise his interest. His body was now pressed against mine, his large hands squeezing my windpipe, almost gently, taking his sweet time molesting me.

"I believe we've got some unfinished business you're going to tend to, darlin'," he purred in my ear like a cat. It was revolting.

"Is that so?" I gave him a cold stare, unwilling to bend my will to his. Not while I was still breathing, not ever.

His hand slowly released my neck and traveled down, across my colarbone, touching the cloth of my jacket and continuing all the way down to my navel. His steady gaze was undressing me, his eyes contentedly half closed. His closeness was intense. There was something peculiarly charming about this man. He was scary, unpredictable, but still – he knew very well what he was doing and was probably good at charming silly village girls.

"I belive our business was quite finished," I disagreed and dragged myself a bit away, pushing against his chest. But I might have been pushing against a stone wall for all good it did. I couldn't move. He trapped me. I was right before – he really was very tall, a full foot taller than I was and I was by no means short, for a woman at least. He had broad shoulders and was well built – dangerously so.

"Not yet it wasn't, " he rubbed himself against me, his pelvis pressing into mine, letting me know just how excited I was making him. His smile was cocky. He belived he had me completely at his mercy and that I couldn't put up much of a fight. I wasn't fool enough to count on my fighting skills, he was much stronger and if anything it might just excite him more and provoke him to be brutal with me. All I could do was wait. While he was otherwise occupied, I might get a chance to free myself and flee.

He took off my hat, letting my hair fall down around my shoulders. It reached down to my waist. He ran his fingers through heavy dark locks, until they hung in soft waves.

"Ahh, come on… don’t be shy, lass. Where’s yer spirit now?" he squeezed my breast eagerly. "You got paid in advance."

"I'm not a whore," I explained heatedly.

"Ah, sure thing, luv," he didn't care what I told him and reached inside his breeches. He was about to take me, pressed to the wall of an unknown house right in the middle of the alleyway. It was not only about his pleasure but also a way to demonstrate power. I dared him and this was his payback.

"'Tis won't take long," he promised, licking my earlobe, and started unbuckling his belt with one hand, his other ably slipping under my chemise. The skin on _his hands was_ thick and _callused but he knew exactly what he was doing._

He was so close I could smell his breath on my own. A cigar smoke and too much whiskey. Even though I was fighting it, part of me was strangely drawn to him. It would be easy to succumb to the heat and forget myself for a little while, let go of my plans, my worries, my pains. Be someone else for only one night, just a brief moment in time. It was something I desperately needed – to become another woman, unbound, free from the past. But I was also scared and disgusted – every fiber of my being urged me to pull away, to escape. Because the stranger wasn’t trying to set me free, he was just another man trying to imprison me, hurt me, silence me. A wicked beast, wanting to force himself on me and prey on my soul. And I wasn’t going to let that happen.

While he went about his business, trying to get me out of my clothes, I focused on the sound of horse hooves on the street – and those hooves were getting closer. Finally. Any moment now.

I relaxed my body, no longer trying to push him away – a sign of complete resignation. He made a content sound deep in his throat, any clear thought out of his mind. His eyes were hooded and burning with desire.

The hooves stopped nearby.

He was now distracted enough not to notice what my right hand was doing. Therefore, I was given a perfect opportunity to reach for my knife, pull it out, and press it against his stomach, the point of the blade pricking his abdomen. He stopped midmotion, clearly caught off guard.

"Now get your hands off me," I advised him.

His eyes widdened in suprise and his face contorted with rage. He wanted to sqeeeze my neck but as an answer to that, I pressed the blade harder against his groin.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, unless you wish to bid your manhood farewell," I pointed out. "Move now!"

Finally he stepped back but every part of him screamed this was not over. The look in his wolfish eyes was very clear. I ran for the horse before the man could grab me again, got onto his back as fast as I could and spurred him into a wild gallop. Together we rode away speedily, like an arrow carried by the wind, leaving only a memorable vision behind – a mass of flowing hair and horse hooves.

Once I got back to the Godwell Mansion and I unmounted my horse, the wild creaure people usually called "the demon" or even "the devil's spawn", I dropped to my knees, feeling quite shaken. Someone has taken advantage of me in a dark corner, a common fear of every young maiden.

I could still smell him, feel his rough hands on my skin. I retched, beaten internally.

I never retrieved my mother's locket but got a sapphire instead. And I knew for sure now, my monster of a brother was finally back. It was him who must have taken it and kept it. And now he used it to pay for a whore – on purpose, no doubt. Getting that information had almost ruined me. If I ever wondered, now I could rest assured – or rather not rest at all – cause I finally knew.

The monster was coming for me. And while looking for his whereabouts, I might have accidentally provoked another beast of a very different kind.


End file.
